The Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention has launched a community-based cancer intervention network to provide assistance to 18,000 cancer patients and their families.

The program, launched on Wednesday, will provide education and guidance on diet, nutrition, sports, tobacco control and weight monitoring.

Doctors will visit every cancer patient at least once a year to collect information which will enable authorities to issue policies to improve the quality of life and rehabilitation of cancer patients.

The center will train 300 community doctors to give lectures on health care in 228 communities across the city's 18 districts and Chongming County.

The lectures will help spread messages about proper diet, exercises and cancer prevention.

According to the World Health Organization, one-third of cancer cases could be avoided by adopting a healthy lifestyle.

Local residents can email to zhongliufz@scdc.sh.cn for information.

Meanwhile, a Sino-US symposium on female cancer prevention and control will be launched in Shanghai on Thursday.

(Shanghai Daily March 20, 2008)